Frost preventer for orchards



March 9 1926. I 1,575,971

E. S. COBB FROST PREVENTER FOR ORCHARDS Filed August 51 1921 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Zia/07 015 (705$.

E. s. COBB FROST PREVENTER FOR ORCHARDS March 9 1926.

Filed August 1 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EiwarW Patented Mar. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD S. COBB, OF WHITTIER, CALIFORNIA; ASSIGNOR TO COBB TEMPERATUREREGULATOR COMPANY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALI-FORNIA.

FROST PREVENTER FOR ORCHARDS. 0

Application filed August 31, 1921. Serial No. 497,231.

fl '0 all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, EnwARn S. (lose, a citizen of the Uni-ted States,residing at Whittier, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Frost\Preveuters for Orchards, of which. the following is a specification. o

This invention has to do with apparatus for use in orchards, orotherplantations, to prevent injury to vegetation therein in extremely hot orcold weather by causing circulation of air, and it is an object of theinvention to provide an improved, simple, effective apparatus of thisgeneral character.

The apparatus provided by this invention is particularly adapted tocarry out processes such as I set forth in Patent No. 1,357,314,entitled Process of preventing frost or heat injury in orchards, etc.issued to me November 2nd, 1920.

A distinctive and noteworthy feature of the present invention is theprovision of apparatus which will handle air, that is, receive,circulate, and direct air, so that the action of the apparatus isuniform at all times and equal in all directions. By providing anapparatus which operates uniformly and in a manner to have equal actionin all directions I have overcome certain difficulties experienced withother apparatus of this general character and have provided an apparatusof particulars practical commercial value.

Another feature of the invention is the provision-of air circulating anddirection apparatus in which the directing of the air is withoutappreciable loss of velocity and is the same at all times duringoperation. The fact that the apparatus directs the air withoutappreciable loss of velocity makes it particularly efficient andtherefore desirable commercially. causes air passing through it tofollow only one curvature or to be changed in direction only once, whichcurvature or change in direction is very gradual and therefore does notretard the flow of air to any appreciable extent. y

The objects and features of the invention will be best and more fullyunderstood from the following detailed description of a typito that inwhich it entered the ,flue.

The present apparatus the apparatus being a view taken as indi (rated byline 44 on Fig. 1. A

The apparatus provided by the present invention comprises, generally, aflue designated in the drawings by the numeral 10, a frame 11 whichsupports or in which is mounted the flue 10, air circulating means 12,and a base 13.which carries the frame 11. The flue 10 is a verticallydisposed open ended member or structure having a curved part 14' and astraight part 15. The curved part 14 of the flue is preferablysemi-circular in extent and has a comparatively large radius, as shownin the drawings. Air forced or lntroduced- 1nto the lower end of thecurved part 14 of the flue 10 flows or is directed around and upwardlyby the curved part 14, passes from the curved part 14 into the straightpart'15, and finally so that it issues from the upper end of the curvedpart 14, discharges from the straight part at a point considerably abovethe point where it entered the flue and in a direction oppo i ifie eflue extends to an elevation above the plantings to be protected so thatit directs the air outwardly *over and somewhat downwardly into theplantings. The curved part 14 having a large radius and being of evengradual curvature offers very litt1e, resistance to the flow of a rthrough it and therefore does not appreciably decrease the velocity ofair circulated through it. The straight part 15 of the flue 10 receivesthe air from the upper end of the curved part 14 and is sufficientlylongand is so disposed as to direct the air outwardly and somewhatdownwardly from the apparatus. Under certain conditions it may be foundthat the straight part 15 can be made very short, or in fact, can beentirely dispensed with, by designing or' continuing the curved part 14so that it causes the proper directioning and distribution of the air.

It is preferred, although not necessary, that the lower or intake partof the flue be somewhat larger in cross sectional area than the upper oroutlet portion thereof and that the flue vary substantially uniformly incross sectional area between its two ends. By making the upper oroutletportion of the flue 10 somewhat smaller than the intake portion,air passing through it is increased somewhat in velocity thus making itpossible to use an with one part of one cross sectional configurationand another part or parts of another cross-sectional configuration.Further, in the drawings I have illustrated a design and form ofconstruction particularly applicable to wooden construction because Ihave found that wooden construction is somewhat more economical thanmetal'or other constructions such as could obviously be employed incarrying out the invention.

The frame 11, which I disclose 1n the drawings, is a wooden frame of adeslgn particularly suited to accommodate the particular form of fluetherein illustrated. The frame 11 comprises, generally, a plurality ofhorizontally disposed arms 18 which extend radially outwardly from acommon center, spacing parts 19 which connect the outer portions ofadjacent arms 18 to space and brace the arms, and a plurality of bracemembers 20 which extend upwardly from the structure formed by thearmsand spac-v ers to support or form a frame for the flue 10. The innerends of the arms 18 are connected or tiedt'ogether at top and bottom bymetal straps.21 formed with openings 22 concentric with the center ofthe frame. The arms 18 are of uniform length and are sufliciently longto form a base structure which will support the flue 10 so that itcannot win etc.

The air circulating means 12 may comprise a propeller 25 arranged infront of the intake opening, or end, of the flue 10 and adapted to beoperated by power means26. The propeller 25 may be of the type used topropel aeroplanes, etc. and the power means may be an internalcombustion engine or other power means capable of operating thedpossibly fall over or be blown over by' propeller at the necessaryspeed. In the drawings-I illustrate a typical internal combustion enginemounted on a frame 27, extending upwardly from the structure formed bythe arms 18and spacers 19, so as to operate the propeller 25 directly.It will be understood, of course, that any suitable power means may beemployed for operating the propeller and in fact that any suitable aircirculating means may beemployed in place of a propeller such as Iherein specify.

The base 13 is a continuous annular struc-. ture, say of concrete, orthe like, having a flat smooth top 30 adapted to carry wheels 31 bywhich the frame 11 is mounted on the base 13. The base 13 is preferablyembedded in the ground so that it forms asolid support or track for thewheels 31. The wheels 31 are carried on spindles 32 which are secured toand extend from the outer ends of the arms 18. There is preferably aspindle 32 and therefore a wheel 31, at the outer end of each arm 18.The wheels 31 are, of course, all of equal size and are supported by thespindles so that they all operate on the base 13.

For the purpose of holding the frame 11 concentric with, or centralrelative to, the

base 13 I provide a fixed pivot member 40 concentric with the base 13and in position to extend through the openings 22 in the straps 21. Thepivot member 40 is preferably carried by a foundation block 41, say ofconcrete, or the like, which is embedded in the ground. The pivot memberin extendlng through the openings 22, which are concentric with eachother and are at the center ofthe frame structure, holds the framestructure truly concentric with the base 13 so that it can be rotatedwithout danger of its supportmg wheels becoming displaced from the base13.

In accordance with the invention I provide means for operating theframell, and therefore the fluelO, so that it rotates or turns on thebase 13. In the particular form. of the invention herein set forth Iprovide a driving connection between the power means 26, "of the 3.11"circulating means, and one 'of thewheels 31' sothat the power means when1 operating to circulate air will cause rotation of said wheel 31 torotate the frame at the desired speed. The driving connection which Ihave'shown comprises a belt drive 45 between the power means and a shaft46, a worm drive mechanism 47 between the shaft 46 and a pinion shaft48, and aspur gear drive between the pinion shaft 48 and the the wheel31 concentrically with the axis of the wheel to mesh with and be drivenby the idler gear 51. The belt drive 45 between the power means andshaft 46 is such as to effect considerable speed reduction between thepower means and the shaft 46 and the worm drive mechanism 47 between theshaft-e16 and shaft 18 is such as; to effect a considerable speedreduction between the shaft 46 and shaft 48. it will be obvious ofcourse, how the driving connections hereinabove described permit of agreat speed reduction between the power means 26 and wheel 31 and thuspermit of the power means being of comparatively high speed withoutcausing the frame, and therefore the flue 10, to operate or rotate at ahigh speed. It will be obvious, of course, that the particular drivingconnection just described, and, in fact, the means of driving the framejust described, are merely for the purpose of illustrating a manner inwhich the frame may be rotated in carrying out the invention. In thedrawings I show the apparatus equipped with a burner 60 which may beoperated to heat the air circulated by the apparatus when such becomesnecessary or desirable. The burner 60 is supplied with fuel by a pipe 66and is arranged at the intake end of the flue 1.0 so that it will notinterfere with the air circulating means and yet will cause effectiveheating of the air circulated through the flue 10. The burner 60 may bearranged a little to one side of the center of the intake of the flue 10and may be housed by an open-ended pipe 61 which receives air fromoutside of the flue and discharges it within the flue. It is desirableto house or protect the burner 60 in some manner so that the aircirculated by the circulating means 12 will not interfere with itsoperation and so that it will not ignite the flue 10 or any other partsof the apparatus in the event that the flue or some par-ts of theapparatus is constructed of wood or other combustible material. 1

Energy or material, say for instance liquid fuel or water, etc., may besupplied to the frame through a conduit 70 extending from a suitablepoint, say from a point outside of the base 13 to a point below thecenter of the base and frame, and then upwardly through or within thepivot member 40', the pivot member 40 of course being hollow or in theform of a tube when the construction beingdescribed is employed. Theupper end of the conduit 7 0 projects beyond the pivot member 40 so thatfluid or material can be conducted from the conduit through a swiveljoint 71 and a conduit 72, which are stationary relative to the frame11.

In operation the present apparatus is 10- cated at the center of thearea which is to scribed.

crating draws air toward the a paratus from in front of the lower orintae end of the flue 10, and delivers it into the flue 10 at acomparatively highveloeity. The propeller 25 in drawing air toward theapparatus in the manner indicated by the arrows in Figs.

"1 and 3 causes circulation of air at-or close to the ground in theimmediate vicinity of the apparatus in front of the intake of the flue10. The flue 10 upon receiving the air from .the circulating means 12conducts it upwardly and around and finally discharges it outwardly andsomewhat downwardly at an elevation considerably above the elevationfrom wh1ch it was drawn and in a direction opposite to that in which itwas drawn. The

air thus directed outwardly and downwardly by the flue flows orcirculates a considerable distance outward from the apparatus and thuscauses circulation of air at points or areas opposite the outlet of, theflue and ou'tair from the discharge or upper end of the flue 10, but onthe contrary there is a continuous agitation or circulation of air for aconsiderable distance outward from the apparatus outwardly of theintakeand discharge of the flue 10. All the time that the power means isoperating to cause the circulation of air just described the frame 11and therefore the flue 10 is being turned through the mechanismhereinabove de- Ordinarily the power means 26 operates at a uniformspeed and thereby causes the circulation of air to be uniform and themovement of the frame and'flue to be uniform. As the frame and flue turnor'revolve the direction from which the air is drawn and in which it isdirected varies-or changes so that upon each revolution of the frame andflue air is drawn from and directed in every direction from theapparatus. The action-or effect of the apparatus is uniform in alldirections because the relation between the direction from which the airis drawn and that in which it is directed is always the same, and theair is always changed in direction or conducted in exactly the samemanner by the flue.

Having described only a preferred form of my invention I do not wish tolimit myself to the particular details hereinabove set forth but wish toreserve to myself any changes and variations that may appear to thoseskilled in the art and that may fall within the scope of the followingclaims.

Having described a preferred form of my invention, I claim:

1. Apparatus for protecting orchards and the like, comprising aircirculating means movable to receive air from the atmosphere indifferent directions, and air delivery and directing means directing theoutflowing air into the atmosphere in the direction pposite to thedirection of its inflow.

2. Apparatus for protecting orchards and the like, comprising aircirculating means movable to receive air from the atmosphere indilierent directions, and air delivery and directing means directing theoutflowing air into the at1n(. sphere in the direction opposite to thedirection of its inflow, and at an elevation above the in fiow. 3.Apparatusfor protecting orchards and the like, comprising asemi-cireular flue with its ends open to the atmosphere, supported withone end above the other and rotatable about a vertical axis, means torotate the flue, and means to blow air through the flue.

4. Apparatus for protecting orchards and the like, comprising asemi-circular flue with its ends open to the atmosphere, supported withone end above the other and rotatable about a vertical axis, means torotate the flue, and means to blow air through the flue in a directionfrom its lower to its upper end.

5. Apparatus for protecting orchards and the like, comprising a framerotatable on a vertical axis, air circulating means and air directingmeans both mounted on the frame and rotating therewith, the directioni11 which air is received .by the circulating means being fixedlyopposite to that in which the directing means discharges.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis th day of August 1921.

'EDWARD S. COBB.

